lucas



C. D. LUCAS Jan. 24, 1956 AUTOMATIC TAIL-CUTTER FOR WINDING MACHINES Filed Aug. 25, 1952 CHARLES D. LUCAS, INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

AUTOMATIC TAIL-CUTTER FOR WINDING MACHINES Charles D. Lucas, Clemson, S. C.,assignor, by mesne assignments, to Deering Milliken Research Corporation, near Pendleton, S. C., a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to an improvement in'tail-cutters of the type used on winding machines for automatically vnitedswtss P severing the tails of yarn which occur at the time "yarn is introduced to bobbins onwinding machines. paratus is particularly designed to be used on a machine manufactured by Universal Winding Company which is commonly known as a No. 90 Universal Winder, and is associated with and actuated by the conventionalbunch builder commonly used with this type of winder. More 1 This ap-' especially, this invention is an improvement in the apparatus disclosed in the pending application of John W. May, Serial Number 205,156, filed January 9, 1951, now Patent No. 2,687,853 and entitled Yarn Handling Means.

The tail cutter disclosed in said pending application is controlled to move automatically from a position closely adiacent the base of a bobbin, on which yarnis being wound, to its operative position, which position was fixed with respect to the axis of the spindle on which said bobbin is mounted. Also, this tail-cutter commences movement toward operative position substantially simultaneously with commencement of the bunch building operation.

Hence, it has been necessary for the operator, in making an adjustment in the number of turns .to be wound in the bunch, to make corresponding adjustments in the various interconnected parts which control the operation of the tailcutter in order to insure that the tail of yarn would be severed after the bunch building operation had commenced and before it had ceased. Inmany cases, the device could not be adjusted to compensate for all changes in the size of the bunch. Hence, the utility of the original invention was quite limited in scope. V

In the conventional mechanism it is necessary to adjust ratchet and cam means to vary the size of the bunch and the cutter means heretofore provided have not been sufficiently flexible to permit proper operation when the ratchet and cam means was set for a relatively small or large bunch. Thus, upon the ratchet mechanism having been set for a relatively small or large bunch the tailcutter occupied a fully operative position at the time the builder was cocked which caused the yarn tail to be severed upon the first turn of yarn being wound-about the bobbin. This lack of flexibility in operation makes it diflicult to use the original mechanism in instances where it was desired to wind it very large or small bunch. In addition, if the tail is cut early in the formation of the bunch, it tends to become wound in with the succeeding layers of the bunch with the result that the bobbin does not perform well during weaving, causing loom stops, broken ends, premature transfer of the bobbin and wasted yarn.

If, on the other hand, the actuating lever of the original invention was adjusted so as not to sever the tail on the first turn of yarn when a large or small bunch was being built, then the hook-shaped cam did not clear the center stud with the result that the bunch builder was not released to permit the winding of the remander of the bobbin.

It is therefore, the primary object of this invention to Z,'?3.Z,l4l Fate-rated Jan. 24, 1956 overcome the above defects by providing the tail-cutter actuating lever with a cam element disposed in the circular path of travel of a pin carried by the cam of the bunch builder. The cam element is engaged by the pin only when a predetermined number of turns are left to be wound in the bunch, which number is fixed regardless of the size of the bunch. This insures that a substantial number of turns are wound prior to cutting and that the tail is free from the bunch.

As heretofore stated, each time the tail-cutter of said pending application was moved to operative position, it was positioned a fixed distance from the axis of the bobbin spindle. Heretofore, such positioning means'has included a rigid pin which extended from the pivoted tail-cutter and worked in a slot in the free end of the tail-cutter actuating lever with the result that, upon each movement of the tail-cutter into operative position, the tail-cutter would always occupy the's'ame position relative to the spindle on which the bobbin was mounted, thus necessitating that all bobbins onto which the yarn was wound be Provided with bases of the same diameter, or alternatively requiring adjustments to the tail-cutter for various sizes of bobbins.

' It is, therefore, another object of' this invention to provide resilient means connecting the pivoted tail-cutter with the tail-cutter actuating lever, whereby the tail-cutter actuating lever may continue to move after the tail-cutter has moved into engagement with the usual rings which surround the heads of the bobbins to permit use of bobbins having head of varying diameters without adjusting the tail cutter. In this instance, a semi-rigid element in the form of a coiled spring extends from the tail-cutter and works in said slot on the free end of the tail-cutter actuating lever, the spring'normally tending to remain straight throughout its length and, upon the tail-cutter moving into engagement with the rings on the base of the bobbin, the spring may be flexed by continued movement of the tail-cutter actuating lever.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear asthe description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the usual bunch builder of a winding machine, showing the improved tail-cutter mechanism associated therewith with the movable parts thereof occupying a position preparatory to starting the forming of the buhchon the adjacent bobbin;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2.2 in Figure 1 with the bobbin removed for clarity;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away, similar to the central portion of Figure l but showing the ratchet wheel in a different position and also showing the tail-cutter in operativeposition;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view partially in section, with parts broken away, showing the ratchet wheel in one position relative to the cam which controls the action of the bunch builder;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the ratchet wheel in another position relative to said cam for effecting the building of a relatvely larger bunch;

Figure 6'is a fragmentary elevation of the improved cutter blade looking along line 6-6 in Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 broadly designates the frame of a semi-automatic winding machine provided with a housing 11 which houses conventional means, not shown, for driving the various conventional parts of the machine. This winding machine may be of a type such as is manufactured by Universal Winding Company, Providence, R. I., and which is known as a No.90 winding machine provided with an automatic bunch builder thereon. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be used with other types of bunch builders and winding machines, the type of winding machine and bunch builder shown in the drawing being shown by way of illustration only.

A conventional bobbing traverse bar 12 extends from the housing 11 and has a conventional yarn feed carriage 13 slidably mounted thereon for directing yarn to the stem 14 of a bobbin 15 mounted on a conventionally driven spindle 16 extending from the housing 11. The bobbin 15 is of the usual type having an enlarged base 17 about which a plurality of closely spaced rings 20 are positioned. The base 17 of the bobbin 15 is adapted to fit against an enlarged base portion 21 of the spindle 16 for clamping yarn Y between the bobbin base 17 and the spindle base 21.

The yarn feed carriage 13 moves back and forth with the bobbin traverse bar 12 during the winding operation. At the end of each alternate stroke of the yarn feed carriage 13, it engages a conventional bunter 23 carried by a ratchet feed pawl arm 24 of a conventional bunch builder broadly designated at 25.

The bunch builder 25 comprises a base 26 provided with upstanding end walls 27 and 30, the end wall 30 is provided with a slot through which the ratchet feed pawl arm 24 extends and the ratchet feed pawl arm is pivotally mounted, as at 31, on a conventional thread guide arm 32, to the free or front end of which a substantially V-shaped or hook-shaped thread guide element 33 is suitably secured. The thread guide element 33 is utilized to direct the yarn Y to the bobbin 15 during the bunch building operation.

The rear end of the thread guide arm 32 has a laterally extending cam engaging arm or portion 34 integral therewith provided with a curved outer surface adapted to engage a conventional ratchet cam 35. The thread guide arm 32, the thread guide element 33 and the laterally extending cam engaging portion 34 are normally urged in a counter-clockwise direction by a tension spring 36, one end of which is connected to the end of the ratchet feed pawl arm 24 remote from the end having the hunter thereon. The other end of the tension spring 36 is connected to the wall 27 of the bunch builder 25. Thus, the tension spring 36 also normally urges the ratchet feed pawl arm 24 in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot point 31. I

The thread guide arm 32 is pivotally mounted on a stud 37 projecting upwardly from the base 26 of the bunch builder 25. The stud 37 also has a ratchet locking pawl 40 fulcrumed thereon which is normally urged into engagement with a ratchet wheel 41 by a tension spring 42. The tension spring 42 is also connected to the free end of a ratchet feed pawl or driving pawl 43 fulcrumed intermediate the ends of the ratchet feed pawl arm 24.

The tension spring 42 also normally urges the ratchet feed pawl 43 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 41.

The ratchet wheel 41 is of annular construction and is fixed against a shoulder 45 on the carn 35 by means of screws or pins 46 and 47. The screw 46 projects upwardly from the upper surface of the cam 35 a substantially greater distance than the screw 47 in order to engage a tail-cutter actuating cam element to be described. The ratchet cam 35 is rotatably mounted on a ratchet stud 50 having a torsion spring 51 positioned therearound which normally urges the ratchet wheel 41 and cam 35 in a clockwise direction in Figure 1.

The spring 51 also serves to normally urge a stop 52, projecting radially from the ratchet wheel 41, into engagement with the ratchet locking pawl 40, as shown in Figure 1, when the thread guide arm 32 is manually cocked in the usual manner well known to those familiar to the. art, and as set forth in said pending application. Also, the ratchet stud 50 and spring 51 serve as a stop or restraining member for an improved cam element to be described. It will be noted that the cam 35 is provided with a concave cam surface 53 cut in the periphery thereof, which is adapted to be engaged, at times, by the curved end of the arm 34 on the rear end'of the thread guide arm 32.

As the winding operation starts, the yarn extends across the rings 20 on the base of the bobbin and the thread guide arm 32 of the bunch builder is cocked to permit the ratchet wheel 41 to move in a conventional manner until the stop 52 thereon engages the pawl 40. The thread guide arm 32 is then released so that the tail-cutter will occupy the position shown in Figure 1, prior to being moved into operative position.

The ratchet wheel 41 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction in a conventional manner until the cam surface 53 registers with the portion 34 of the thread guide arm 32, at which time the spring 36 moves the thread guide arm 32 and its associated parts in a counter-clockwise direction to move the tail-cutter away from the bobbin 15. Adjustment of the cam 35 relative to the ratchet wheel 41 may be effected by screws 46 and 47, in a conventional manner.

Now, the tail-cutter, broadly designated at 60, is generally of substantially the same construction as the tailcutter in said pending application, the invention residing in a flexible semi-rigid element 61 connecting the tailcutter 60 to a tail-cutter actuating lever 62, and a unique cam element 63 carried by the tail-cutter actuating lever 62.

The tail-cutter 60 comprises a body 65 to which a tailcutter blade 66 is suitably secured, this tail-cutter blade being provided with a plurality of spaced lateral projections 67 defining substantially semi-circular cavities 70 therebetween which are so spaced as to correspond to the spacing of the rings 20 on the bobbin base 17. In order to insure that the yarn tail T is ensnared by said blade 66, the-upper surfaces of projections 67 are recessed, as 'at 68 (Figure 6), thereby forming the projections 67 in the shape of hooks. The body 65 is pivotally mounted on a stud 71 projecting forwardly from a horizontal leg of a substantially L-shaped bracket or angle clip 72 which is suitably secured to the lower surface of the thread guide arm 32.

The body 65 of the tail-cutter 60 has a pilot pin 74 projecting upwardly therefrom on which the lower end of the coiled spring 61 is mounted. The lower turns of the spring 61 preferably fit tightly around the pilot pin 74 or the spring 61 may be otherwise suitably secured to the pilot pin 74.

The outer or free end of the tail-cutter actuating arm 62 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 75 (Figure 1) through which the flexible element or spring 61 extends, and the upper end of the spring 61 has a headed pin 76 fixed therein as by a pressed fit or by being threaded thereinto, to lend rigidity to the upper end of the spring 61 and to also prevent the spring 61 from pulling out of the slot 75. The tail-cutter actuating arm 62 is fulcrumed at its rear end on the stud 37. The tail-cutter actuating arm 62 and its cam element are normally urged in a clockwise direction in Figure l-by a tension spring 80 which is of substantially less strength than the tension spring 36. Thus, the spring 80 normally urges a portion 81 of thecam element 63 into engagement with the spring 51 on stud 50, the latter thus serving as a stop or restraining means for the tail-cutter 60.

The improved cam element 63 may be an integral part of the tail-cutter actuating arm, but in this instance, it is shown in the form of a rod which extends forwardly and outwardly at an angle from a point adjacent the stud 37 relative to the tail-cutter actuating arm 62 and which. when the parts are in the position shown in Figure I, normally extends just past the axis of the stud 50 on which the cam 35 is mounted, terminating in a portion 35 bent at right angles to portion 81 in an outwardly direction (away from stud 50). By. means of this con figuration, the cutter is actuated when a minimum number of turns, i. e. about 5, are left to be woundin the bunch. It will be appreciated that by lengthening the portion 81 or otherwise varying the arrangement of certain parts, commencement of the cutting operation can be effected at anydesired time. I

In this instance, the cam element 63 is suitablysecured to the upper surface of the tail-cutter actuating arm 62, as by welding, and, in addition to the cam portion 81 thereof, the cam element 63 has a portion 82 which extends substantially longitudinally of the arm 62, then outwardly, as at 83, away from the ratchet wheel 41 and finally downwardly to form an abutment 84 (Figure 2), which abutment 84 extends into the horizontal plane of the thread guide arm 32. Of course, it is to be understood that the abutment 84 need not necessarily be a part of the cam element 81 and may be separately formed and suitably secured to the tail-cutter actuating arm 62, or the abutment may be integral with said arm 62. g 1

It is to be particularly" noted that the cam portion 81 of the cam element 63 is disposed in the horizontal plane of the path of travel of the pin or screw 46 and, when the stop 52 on the ratchet wheel 41 is in engagement with the free end of the ratchet locking pawl 46, the pin or screw 46 is spaced substantially in advance of the portion 81 of the cam element 63. Thus, regardless of variations in the number of turns to be wound in the bunch B, the pin 46 will not engage the cam element 63 until after a maiority of turns of yarn have been wound in forming the bunch B and, of course, until afterthe stop 52 has moved a substantial distance away from the locking pawl 40.

For example, assuming a single turn or apredetermined number of turns of yarn are wound in the bunch 13, upon each tooth in the ratchet wheel 41 being racked by the ratchet feed pawl 43, with the stop 52 on the ratchet wheel 41 in substantially the position shown in Figures 1 andv 4 relative to the cam 35, the ratchet wheel 41 would then be racked approximately ten times to i move the stop 52 from the position shown in Figure l to that shown in Figure 4. This would cause a substantial number of turns of yarn to be wound about the stem 14 of the bobbin 15 at its juncture with the base 17, in the course of which the screw or pin 46 would move from the position vshown in Figure 1 almost to the position shown in Figure 3 before it engaged the portion 81 of the cam element 63 which is restrained by spring 51 and stud 50. This insures that a number of turns of yarn are wound about the stem of the bobbin 6 a counter-clockwise direction in Figurelto complete the bunch building operation;

It is evident that the abutment 84 carried by the tailcutter actuating arm 62 is engaged by the thread guide arm 32 in the course of said counter-clockwise movement thereof to thereby swingthe tail-cutter actuating arm 62 and the cam element 63 away from the ratchet wheel 41, to inoperative position.

Now, when the stop 52 on the ratchet wheel 41 is positioned as shown in Figure 5 relative to the cam 35 and the pin or screw 46, it is evident that a substantially greater number of turns would be wound about the stem in forming the bunch B than would be the case when the stop 52 is positioned as shown in Figure 4 relative to the cam 53 and the pin 46. However, in any instance, regardless of the position of the stop 52 on the ratchet wheel 41 relative to the cam 35 and pin or screw 46, the tail-cutter 69 is moved into operative position upon a predetermined number of steps in rotation being required to complete the bunch building operation.

The present tail-cutter operating means operates in the opposite manner to that of the tail-cutter operating means of said pending application in that the tail-cutteroperating means in said pending application is effective immediately upon commencement of the bunch building operation while in the present instance, the tail-cutter actuating means is not etfective until after a number of turns of yarn have been Wound about the stem 14 of the bobbin 15 and, more especially, a predetermined number of turns of yarn remain for the completion of the bunch building operation.

a This insures that the tail-cutter is not moved into operative position prematurely or after the thread guide 33 has been moved to inoperative position 'by the spring 36. In other words, the tail-cutter moves into operative position only after anumber of turns of yarn have been 15 before the pin or screw 46 engages the portion 83 of the cam element 63. The pin 46 would then move the cam element 63 along with the tail-cutter actuating arm 62 which would, in turn, swing the tail-cutter about the stud 71 to move the same into operative position; that is, to move the projections 67 between adjacent rings 20 upon the head of the bobbin 17 and the bottoms of the cavities into engagement with the peripheries of the rings 20.

In the event that the diameter of the rings 20 or the head 17 is relatively large, the spring 61 permits the tailcutter actuating arm 62 to continue its movement after the bottoms of the cavities '70 have engaged the rings 20 and which merely flexes the spring 61 intermediate its upper and lower ends. Of course, as the hook-shaped projections 67 move into the interstices between the rings 20, they then project into the path of travel of the tail of yarn T and would thus sever the same.

Thereafter, with continued step-by-step movement of the ratchet wheel 41, the ratchet wheel 41 and the cam 35 move to the position shown in Figure'4, whereupon the cam surface 53 registers with the curved free end of the laterally extending portion 34 of the thread guide arm 32 and the spring 36 then swings the thread guide 33 and the ratchet feed pawl arm 24 to the right or in wound about the stem of the bobbin in forming the bunch B and at a fixed time prior to the completion of the bobbin building operation.

Variations may be made in the details of the disclosure without departing from the invention. For example, the cam 63 and member 62 could be stamped from sheet metal as an integral unit and, instead of the tail-cutter 60 being connected to the member 62 by a spring extending through a slot provided in the member 62, the tailcutter 60 could be provided with an upwardly directed rigid arm which is then connected through a suitable tension spring tothe tail-cutter actuating arm 62.

In the drawings and specification, there hasbeen set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins, said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, an eccentric pin on said cam, a tail-cutter carried by said yarn guide and a tail-cutter actuating arm pivotally supported by said bunch builder, improved tailcutter actuating means comprising a cam element carried by said tail-cutter actuating arm engageable by said eccentric pin upon predetermined movement of said ratchet and a semi-rigid element connected to said tail-cutter and slidably penetrating said tail-cutter actuating arm.

2. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins, said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, an eccentric pin on said cam, atail-cu'tter car- 'ried by said yarn guide and a tail-cutter actuating arm pivotally supported by said bunch builder, improved tailcutter actuating means comprising a cam element carried by said tail-cutter actuating arm engageable by said eccentric pin upon predetermined movement of said ratchet, a

semirigid element connected to said tail-cutter and slidably penetrating said tail-cutter actuating arm, and said tail-cutter-having a blade provided with hook-like projections thereon.

3. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins, said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, an eccentric pin on said cam, a tail-cutter carried by said yarn guide and a tail-cutter actuating arm pivotally supported by said bunch builder; improved tail-cutter actuating means comprising a cam element fixed on said tailcutter actuating arm and engageable by said eccentric pin, after a predetermined movement of said eccentric pin, a flexible connection between said tail-cutter and said tailcutter actuating arm whereby movement of said tail-cutter actuating arm by said cam element imparts movement to saidtail-cutter.

4. In a structure according to claim 3, wherein said cam controlled yarn guide is operable automatically to move away from said bobbin upon the completion of a bunch building operation; an abutment carried by said tail-cutter actuating arm and engageable by said yarn guide as it moves away from said bobbin for moving the cam element away from said eccentric pin and for moving said tail-cutter away from said bobbin.

5. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins, said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, an eccentric pin on said cam, a tail-cutter carried by said yarn guide and a tail-cutter actuating arm pivotally supported by said bunch builder; improved tail-cutter actuating means comprising a cam element fixed on said tailcutter actuating arm and engageable by said eccentric pin after a predetermined movement of said eccentric pin, a flexible connection between said tail-cutter and said tailcutter actuating arm whereby movement of said tail-cutter actuating arm by said cam element imparts movement to said tail-cutter, said flexible connection comprising a pin slidably penetrating said tail-cutter actuating arm and a coiled spring connecting said pin and said tail-cutter.

6. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins each of which has a base thereon, said bunch builder including a yarn guide adapted to be automatically removed from operative position after a selected number of turns of yarn have been wound onto said bobbin, and a tail-cutter carried by said yarn guide, improved tail-cutter actuating means comprising means operable automatically following the winding of a number of turns of yarn about the base of said bobbin and prior to the winding of a predetermined number of additional turns for moving the tail-cutter into operative position for severing the tail of said yarn and a resilient connection included in said automatic means to permit relative movement between said automatic means and the tail-cutter upon the tail-cutter engaging the base of said bobbin.

7. In a semi-automatic Winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins each of which has a base thereon, said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, an eccentric pin on said cam, a tail-cutter pivotally carried by said yarn guide and a tail-cutter actuating arm pivotally supported by said bunch builder; improved tail-cutter actuating means comprising, resilient means normally urging said tail-cutter actuating arm toward the ratchet, means for limiting movement of said tail-cutter actuating arm toward the ratchet to normally hold the tail-cutter out of engagement with the base of said bobbin, said last-named means being disposed in the path of said eccentric pin and engageable thereby upon a predetermined movement of said eccentric pin, whereby movement of said last-named means by said eccentric pin causes said tail-cutter to be pivoted by said tail-cutter actuating arm into tail-cutting position closely adjacent said bobbin base.

8, In a semi-automatic windingmachine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins each of which has a base thereon, said bunch builder including a ratchet and pawl operated cam controlled yarn guide, an eccentric pin on said cam, a tail-cutter pivotally carried by said yarn guide and a tail cutter actuating arm pivotally supported by said bunch builder; improved tail-cutter actuating means comprising, resilient means normally urging said tail-cutter actuating arm toward the ratchet means for limiting movement of said tail-cutter actuating arm toward the ratchet to normally hold the tail-cutter out of engagement with the base oi said bobbin, said last named means being disposed in the path of said eccentric pin and engageable thereby upon a predetermined movement of said eccentric pin, movement of said last-named means by said eccentric pin causing said tail-cutter to be pivoted by said tail-cutter actuating arm into tail-cutting position closely adjacent said bobbin base, and a flexible connection between said tailcutter and said tail-cutter actuating arm to permit continued movement of said tail-cutter actuating arm upon said tail-cutter engaging the base of a bobbin.

9. In a semi-automatic winding machine for winding yarn on bobbins, each of which has a base thereon and spaced rings encircling said base and wherein a tail of yarn extends across said rings as it is initially directed to said bobbin, said winding machine also having a manuallycocked, cam-released, spring-loaded, bunch building yarn guide, a tail-cutter oscillatably supported by the yarn guide on an axis parallel to the axis of said bobbin, at least one projection on said tail-cutter normally spaced radially from the base of said bobbin, a tail-cutter actuating arm movably mounted on said bunch builder and having a slot in one end thereof, and a stud projecting from the bunchbuilder cam in off-center relation to the axis of said cam; the combination of resilient means normally urging said tail cutter actuating arm toward said cam, a cam element carried by said tail-cutter actuating arm and being disposed in the arcuate path of movement of said stud projecting from said cam, restraining means normally holding the cam element on said arm in spaced relation to said stud, an elongated flexible element on the upper end of said tailcutter projecting upwardly through said slot in the tailcutter actuating arm and said restraining means normally maintaining said tail-cutter actuating arm in such a position as to position the tail-cutter with the projection thereon spaced from the base of said bobbin whereby partial rotation of said cam with said stud thereon will cause said stud to engage and impart movement to said cam element to rock the tail-cutter and to move the projection thereon into operative position between the rings on the base of the bobbin for severing the yarn tail.

10. In a structure according to claim 9, said projection on the tail-cutter being hooked-shaped at its leading edge relative to the direction of rotation of said bobbin base in order to ensnare the tail of yarn extending across said ring.

11. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins, each of which has a base thereon, said bunch builder including a yarn guide adapted to be automatically removed from operative position after a selected number of turns of yarn have been wound onto said bobbin, a tail-cutter carried by said yarn guide and adapted to engage the base of said bobbin, and a tail-cutter actuating arm supported by said bunch builder and adapted to automatically actuate said tail-cutter before said yarn guide is removed from operative position, the improvement which comprises a flexible connection between said tail-cutter and said tailcutter actuating arm thereby permitting relative movement between said actuating arm and said tail-cutter upon the tail-cutter engaging the base of the bobbin.

12. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for Winding yarn onto bobbins each of which has a base thereon, said bunch builder including a yarn guide adapted to be automatically removed from operative position after a selected number of turns of yarn have been wound onto said bobbin, a rotating cam adapted to actuate the removal of said yarn guide, a tail-cutter carried by said yarn guide and adapted to engage the base of said bobbin, and a tail-cutter actuating arm supported by said bunch builder improved tail-cutter actuating means comprising an eccentric member carried by said cam, a cam element on said tail-cutter actuating arm cooperating with said eccentric member to operate said actuating arm a predetermined number of turns before said yarn guide is removed from operative position, and a flexible connection between said taiLcuttcr and said tail-cutter actuating arm thereby'permitting relative movement between said actuating arm and said tail-cutter upon the tail-cutter en gaging the base of saidbobbin.

13. In a semi-automatic winding machine having a bunch builder for winding yarn onto bobbins each of which has a base thereon, said bunch builder including a yarn guide, and means adapted to automatically remove said yarn guide from operative position after a selected in the operation of said bunch builder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED .STATES PATENTS 1,809,217 Quill June 9, 1931 2,086,655 Wittmann July 13, 1937 2,130,067 Burnett Sept. 13, 1938 2,575,015 Hendricks Nov. 13, 1951 2,687,853 May Aug. 31, 1954 

